SAN DIEGO -- San Diego FC's winless streak continues to grow, falling in back-to-back matches after a 2-1 Saturday night loss to Minnesota United FC at Snapdragon Stadium.
SDFC were back at home for matchday seven of the 2026 MLS regular season, looking to snap their current four-match winless period as they faced off against Western Conference foes, Minnesota United FC.
Coming off a 3-0 defeat in PayPal Park last Saturday at the hands of in-state rival, the San Jose Earthquakes, which handed SDFC their first loss of the MLS season. The Chrome & Azul still looked to protect home turf, having not lost at Snapdragon Stadium in 2026.
SDFC and MUFC split the regular-season series in 2025, both winning on the road, as SDFC got the upper hand in the Western Conference Semis of the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs at Snapdragon Stadium last November.
It didn't take long for the San Diegan fans to see some magic with defender Luca Bombino driving a left-footed volley in the 7-minute to take the very early 1-0 lead.
Forward Lewis Morgan set up the chance with a cross into the opposite side of the penalty box for unmarked Bombino. The L.A. native then blasted his caught volley past diving Minnesota goalkeeper Drake Callender to sneak past the left goal post and into the net.
An assist to remember for Morgan, claiming his first goal contribution for the club as Bombino opened up his league goal tally with his first in 2026.
Minnesota responded quickly, with defender Kyle Duncan getting the equalizing header in the 15-minute.
The levelling goal started from a cross from Minnesota forward Tomás Chancalay, met by Duncan, rising over SDFC defender Luca Bombino, to get his headed shot into the goal, tying the score at 1-1.
A pair of one-on-one goal-saving plays by Minnesota's Callender kept SDFC from snatching the lead around the 30-minute mark, denying Dreyer and Valakari go-ahead scores.
A late first-half goal for Minnesota saw them take a 2-1 lead into the halftime break, with SDFC seeing their lead vanish off two unanswered scores from the away side.
The scoring play started with a backpost cross from outside the box by Owen Gene, finding Anthony Markanich as he headed the ball into the goal area, all finished off by forward Kelvin Yeboah, getting the finishing touch right in front of the goal in the 40-minute.
The setbacks continued to pile up for SDFC, with their expulsion streak growing to four straight matches as defender Christopher McVey saw a second yellow and red card a minute into the second half, leaving SDFC a goal and player down with an entire half to play.
In back-to-back matches, McVey has been sent off, earning his third red card in all competitions this season.
SDFC star forward Anders Dreyer had an 81-minute set-piece equalizing attempt at the top of the box denied by Minnesota's Callender, with Dreyer trying to go low with his shot and Callender getting to the ground fast to block and pounce on the loose ball, maintaining the 2-1 lead for Minnesota.
A last chance attempt to salvage a point came to the feet of Dreyer in the 90+7-minute, but the shot on target was rejected once again by Minnesota's Man of the Match Callender to seal SDFC's 2-1 home loss fate on Saturday night.
Following the 2-1 Saturday night loss to Minnesota United, SDFC head coach Mikey Varas spoke at the post-match press conference on the club's lingering red card issues during their winless rough patch.
"I don't know. I can't pinpoint exactly what's happening other than I think we're receiving some harsh calls and we're just in one of those situations where nothing's going our way in that sense."
"But at the end of the day, it's a tough moment that we're in, and we all recognize it."
"The most important thing is that we're all together and getting ourselves out of it. And we know that we will. We have the players and the people involved that we are going to get back to being our best."
The loss to Minnesota United grows SDFC's winless streak to five straight matches, having tasted defeat in back-to-back games.
The result at Snapdragon Stadium also marked the club's first home loss of the 2026 season across all competitions.
SDFC are away from home next Saturday, heading to Utah for their matchday eight meeting against Real Salt Lake on April 18 at America First Field.
The second meeting between the two clubs this season, with the first match ending in a 2-2 stalemate back on March 22 at Snapdragon Stadium.
